Scholars

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Altaïr blending with Scholars

Scholars were "holy men" who were usually wandering around the cities in small groups during the Third Crusade, deep in prayer. In Jerusalem and Damascus they were Muslim ascetics and wore turbans. In Acre they were Christian monks and wore hoods.

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If Altaïr blended with the scholars, they would walk in a diamond formation around him. This shielded Altaïr being seen from all directions, and like this the scholars could assist Altaïr in two different ways.

Each of the three large cities' entrances and some paths to restricted areas within them were blocked by a phalanx of guards, who would push Altaïr away if he tried to enter. Scholars were usually situated near them, allowing Altaïr to easily enter the restricted area without alarming anyone and starting a fight by joining them. The reason for this was that guards allowed scholars to pass by unchallenged, granting Altaïr easy access without climbing buildings or fighting.

If Altaïr was being chased by guards and managed to break their line of sight, he could blend in with the scholars and trick the guards into thinking he had disappeared. To do this, Altaïr moved to the center of the group and began walking with them, lowering his head and clasping his hands to appear as if he was praying.

If Altaïr was outside the guards' line of sight when he began blending with the scholars, the guards would give up on the chase after a few moments. However, if Altaïr could still be seen by the guards and he attempted to approach a group of scholars, they would stop their prayers and flee in terror, breaking their formation.

In 1190, Altaïr disguised himself as a scholar in order to enter the Crusader camp that besieged Acre.[1]

The Saracen leader Salah Al'din had encouraged scholars to visit and spend time in the cities of Damascus and Jerusalem, which was presumably why the city guards always allowed them, and by extension Altaïr, to pass through the city gates unhindered.[2]

Sibrand, leader of the Knights Teutonic as well as a member of the Templars, caught onto Altaïr's method of blending in with the scholars and publicly maltreated and murdered a Christian scholar, accusing the man of working with the Assassins. The scholar's body was then dumped into the sea.[3]